This application relates to the use of a thermoelectric component as a voltage snubber in an electric circuit.
Electric circuits are becoming increasingly complex. As an example, electric circuits are utilized as power switching devices for switching power such as three-phase power being supplied to a motor. So-called power modules are known that include a plurality of switches, which are alternatively turned on and off to control the passage of power from a power supply to a device such as a motor. Within such circuits, some elements become hot and require cooling. Typically, additional components are required to provide the cooling.
Another concern with many circuits is that there are often transient voltage spikes. A voltage spike is typically dissipated by a snubber circuit. Typically, a resistor and/or a capacitor is utilized to dissipate the voltage spike. A resistor used in such a circuit will provide an additional source of heat in the circuit.
Thermoelectric devices are known and have a hot node and a cool node. When current is passed through one of the two nodes, heat travels toward the other. Thus, thermoelectric devices can be utilized for heating or cooling devices.
A typical thermoelectric cooler consists of an array of P-type and N-type semiconductor elements that act as the two dissimilar conductors. The P-type material has an insufficient number of electrons and the N-type material has extra electrons. These electrons in the N-type material and so-called “holes” in the P-type material, in addition to carrying an electric current, become a transport media to move the heat from the cold junction to the hot junction. The heat transport rate depends on the current passing through the circuit and the number of moving electron-hole couples. As an electric current is passed through one or more pairs of P-N elements, there is a decrease in temperature at the cold junction resulting in the absorption of heat from the object to be cooled. The heat is carried through the thermoelectric cooler by electron transport and released at the hot junction as the electrons move from a high to a low energy state.